△ Restaurant and surrounding environment © Wu Weiguo
What is Burning Bird?
When we first received this project, we were curious about the phrase “burning bird.” Could it mean roasted squab, goose, or something similar? Would it involve burning rare birds or exotic animals, potentially violating animal protection laws? Or could it even be linked to a new outbreak of COVID-19? After some research, we found that Shaoniao is actually a Japanese cuisine focused mainly on chicken. It’s a dish traditionally enjoyed with sake, similar to kebabs.
The busy chef working behind the bar © Wu Weiguo
Initially, I was skeptical that a restaurant could thrive solely on roasted bird dishes. Gradually, I learned that the menu actually features a variety of dishes served alongside other foods—not simply to fill you up, but to encourage eating meat, drinking alcohol, and socializing. Pairing sake with roasted bird is a classic combination. Drinking sake itself is a refined art, divided into four main categories with several subtypes. Depending on the season, personal taste, and mood, selective recommendations are offered, much like whiskey.
△ Restaurant interior © Wu Weiguo
The low bar counter allows guests to sit comfortably on wooden chairs
View towards the booth at the cave entrance © Deng Weixiang
Shaoniao Wine Company
Shaoniao and sake form the two key elements of this restaurant’s concept.
The traditional way to enjoy roasted bird is by sitting at the bar facing the chef. Here, friends can chat while watching the chef at work. The chef, much like a bartender, occasionally joins in the conversation. The sake display area acts as a selection point where guests can choose their preferred sake. Beautifully presented, the sake bar features knowledgeable staff who introduce various types of sake, allowing guests to sample before seating. These two settings create distinct experiences: one offers relaxed enjoyment of wine and meat, while the other invites thoughtful consideration before becoming pleasantly tipsy.
Heterogeneous plaster finish, metallic paint, walnut bar counter, and steel frame light rail © Deng Weixiang
△ Deck area © Wu Weiguo
A Gathering of Strangers
The project is located on the ground floor of a sunken square in Sihai City, Guangzhou, covering 172 square meters. This size is somewhat small for a traditional restaurant, yet quite large for a Shaoniao dining venue. The tradition of burning birds resembles that of Japanese izakayas, emphasizing intimacy and community. It evokes scenes from the show “Late Night Cafeteria,” where strangers gather in a small shop owned by a mutual acquaintance, sharing drinks and conversation with the owner. Through this interaction, diners gradually become familiar with one another.
Each seat is lit by a small spotlight © Wu Weiguo
A gathering of strangers © Wu Weiguo
Reflecting on this project, the design focuses on maximizing guest satisfaction at the bar while creating a unique spatial experience through scale. This is an expanded gathering of strangers, enveloped in an atmosphere reminiscent of a monster’s cave at nightfall. Three main chefs take their stations, assisted by kitchen staff, serving thirty guests seated around a large communal table.
Wine rack displayed on a curved surface © Wu Weiguo
△ Surface heterogeneity © Wu Zhihao
The curved bar counter was chosen to maximize seating capacity while enhancing social interaction. Unlike a traditional straight bar, its gentle curve angles guests toward each other, fostering easier communication. This setting encourages possible encounters while enjoying roasted bird and sake.
△ Scattered seating area © Wu Weiguo
The backdrop is a heterogeneous sake display wrapped in elegant curved forms, extending from the entrance and spanning the entire wall, igniting guests’ desire for wine.
△ Shuochang Bar © Deng Weixiang
Continuous curved components flow along the wall, enclosing three intimate seating areas deep within the space. The arches carved into the curves create a passage where graceful servers appear and disappear in the dimly lit entrance.
A graceful curve © Wu Weiguo
The restaurant’s facade is intentionally closed off to create a ceremonial approach. From the entrance, a display surface with curved glass reveals the warm glow of interior light spilling out. Vertical iron sheets and linear lighting evoke rolling mountain ranges, balancing the boundary between reality and imagination.
The dazzling bar counter beneath the dim night sky © Wu Weiguo
Service Design
The meticulous design of guest experience is essential to establishing a unique ceremony, and the spatial presentation provides the stage for this service. We envision the visit of two old friends:
At nine o’clock, they arrive punctually, seeking their special ritual. The frosted glass facade awaits them as they press the sliding door button. Stepping onto the stone-paved cobblestone path, they follow the waiter who takes their coats and guides them into a circular space wrapped in sake displays. Over a hundred sake varieties surround them, transitioning from a circular showcase to a hidden collection. After sampling seasonal drinks introduced by the tavern staff, they select their favorites.
Next, the waiting staff escort them to a corner of the expansive bar in the dining area where they sit down. The chef approaches with fresh meat from behind the bar, explaining the dishes and cooking techniques. They make their selections and begin chatting. Each dish arrives in sync with their dining pace, served precisely. After three rounds of toasts, the chef responds to their jokes as well as those of neighboring guests. Before long, both groups become acquainted—another circle of new friends formed.
The pillar surrounded by a bar counter combined with a water basin forms a central island in the operational area © Wu Weiguo
In China’s more introverted social context, strangers rarely connect naturally. Meaningful interaction requires careful nurturing—and alcohol helps facilitate this. Through spatial design and thoughtful service, we aim to create a stage where strangers can comfortably gather and connect.
Technical Drawings
△ Plan view
△ Section design node diagram
△ Deliberation on the physical model
△ Shape generation and construction process
Project Information
Project Name: Deyi Shaoniao Wine Company
Designer: Cooperative Architecture Firm
Company Website: __AI_ST_URL_0__
Design & Completion Year: January 2021
Principal Creator & Design Team: Principal Creator: Song Fangzhou; Design Team: Luo Jiancong, Wang Cihang, Liu Qingyue, Shi Xiuxian, Jiang Yufeng
Project Location: Hanxi Avenue (Sihai City Commercial Plaza), Panyu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province
Building Area: 170 square meters
Photography Credits: Wu Weiguo, Deng Weixiang, Wu Zhihao
Client: Guangzhou Jiuniao Catering Co., Ltd
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